Front cover of the Moulin Rouge soundtrack which featured Nature Boy as the final track.

Development

Nature Boy was the result of Massive Attack being persuaded by Baz Luhrmann, a movie director they had previously met some years ago, when he was making his acclaimed film “Romeo and Juliet” to contribute a song to his upcoming film. Baz Luhrmann had kept Massive Attack in mind, since meeting them and was determined to make them apart of the soundtrack to his new 2001 musical film “Moulin Rouge”.

Initially, Massive Attack were not too keen on getting involved believing the film wasn’t suited for them. Baz Luhrmann had one final trump card to play however, and that would be David Bowie, whom he had met in New York and was already confirmed to be doing work on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Baz had broached the topic of a possible Massive Attack collaboration and Bowie was very enthusiastic about the thought of working with Massive Attack, whom he had met at a festival date in Tel Aviv, Israel four years ago.

When Baz got back to Massive Attack about the opportunity to work with a music legend such as Bowie, Massive Attack reconsidered their stance and decided to do a collaboration with Bowie for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. A song which Bowie had already been earmarked to sing for the soundtrack, Nature Boy, a cover version of the original Nat King Cole 1940′s classic which had already been covered numerous times before, most famously by the likes of Frank Sinatra and John Coltrane, would be the song Massive Attack would be asked to further add their own distinct flavour to.

Additional Info

David Bowie described his collaboartion with Massive Attack on Nature Boy as producing “a riveting piece of work”.

Massive Attack and David Bowie would not actually meet face to face throughout the entire time that Nature Boy was being composed. Bowie sung his vocals in New York and sent them across electronically to Massive Attack in Bristol, England. Any discussions on which direction the song should take was done through email. This was a similar working arrangement to how Massive Attack composed I Against I with Mos Def.

Craig Armstrong, who was the musical composer and arranger for the film Moulin Rouge, was also the arranger for Nature Boy, making this his fifth Massive Attack song to have worked on, after last appearing on Wire. This would also be his last Massive Attack song he would contribute to, up until this point in time.

The “I love you” line at the very end of Nature Boy is actually dialogue from the film Moulin Rouge. It is Nicole Kidman’s final words to her lover, Ewan McGregor, just before she dies.

Variations/Remixes

Instrumental – A 30 second instrumental remix of the track that was used as background music on the menus for the Moulin Rouge DVD.

Notable Quotes

David Bowie on Nature Boy – “3D has put together a riveting piece of work. I’m totally pleased with the end result” [MTV News - March 2001]

3D on why they picked Nat King Cole’s Nature boy to cover – “Nature Boy was written for Nat King Cole, but its been covered by all the best crooners like Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. It’s quite a strange song, it tells a definite story from beginning to end and is very short and very beautiful” [MassiveAttack.co.uk – March 2001]

Eden Ahbez, the writer of Nature Boy, and Nat King Cole, the singer of the orginal track, pictured in 1948.

3D on the recording process behind Nature Boy – “We took the strings and harps, looped them, and then did this digital scratching technique on them. Then we added some obscure samples and other sounds, scrubbing the samples in backwards and forwards to give this really undulating feeling. Neil (Davidge) and me constructed the whole thing piece by piece. We just used the strings, some keyboard sounds and some strange little samples here and there” [MassiveAttack.co.uk – March 2001]

Lyrics

There was a boy. A very strange enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far, very far. Over land and sea. A little shy. And sad of eye. But very wise. Was he… And then one day. One magic day he passed my way. And while we spoke of many things. Fools and kings. This he said to me. The greatest thing. You’ll ever learn. Is just to love. And be loved in return. (I love you)

External Links

Wikipedia Entry For The Nat King Cole Version Of Nature Boy
Fan Made Lyrics Video Of The Massive Attack/David Bowie Version Of Nature Boy
Fan Made Lyrics Video Of The Nat King Cole Version Of Nature Boy

Watch this video on YouTube.

Isaac Hayes, whose 1970 song “Our Day Will Come” was heavily sampled on Exchange.

Development

Exchange is perhaps the song that most obviously references Mushroom’s talents and involvement than any other track on Mezzanine. The Isaac Hayes sample that Exchange is heavily based on, was once a popular choice for Mushroom to play as part of his DJ sets in the latter days of The Wild Bunch. When it came time however to get copyright clearance for the use of the sample for Exchange, Massive Attack would encounter a problem with obtaining the rights for the Isaac Hayes sample as the two original writers of the song, Mort Garson and Ben Hilliard were at that stage both dead and the wife of one them refused the sample’s clearance.

Luckily it was discovered afterwards that the sample that Mushroom had chosen from the Isaac Hayes song (which came specifically from its outro) was in fact written by Isaac Hayes and not the original writers. Isaac Hayes would then allow Massive Attack the use of his sample from the outro to the original song. This close call with running into sample clearance issues and possibly being heavily fined for copyright infringement was among the reasons (both artistic and financial) along with the whole Black Milk/Manfred Mann sample debacle which would turn Massive Attack away from using samples on their next album 100th Window.

Additional Info

The reprise of Exchange at the end of Mezzanine, (Exchange), ends with what seems to be vinyl scratching noise that slowly fades away into nothingness. Considering that Exchange was mostly Mushroom’s work this can be seen as a fittng end to Mushroom’s contribution to Massive Attack as his departure would soon be imminent within the next year after Mezzanine’s release.

The working title for Exchange was “Isaac”, obviously named after Isaac Hayes. This working title can be evidenced on this alternative earlier version of the Mezzanine album liner notes.

Live Appearances

Exchange in it’s lyrical form i.e (Exchange) was performed during the second half of the 1998 tour at a few select dates with Horace Andy providing vocals. Currently, MASSIVEATTACK.IE is unaware exactly when and where Exchange was played live for its first time or precisely how many dates it was played for.

Sampled From

Exchange uses a sample from the song “Our Day Will Come” by Isaac Hayes. It appears primarily on his 1970 release “… To Be Continued”. It is credited officially by Massive Attack.

Apart from this aforementioned sample, Exchange also uses a sample from the song “Summer In The City” by Quincy Jones. It appears primarily on his 1973 release “You’ve Got It Bad Girl”. It is not credited officially by Massive Attack.

Exchange was largely Mushroom’s work. It was his idea to use the Isaac Hayes sample on the track.

Notable Quotes

3D on Exchange – “That’s one of Mushroom’s tracks. A drunken interlude. That feeling when you’re gambling when your drunk, all your money’s going and there’s nothing you can do.” [Vox Magazine - May 1998]

Mushroom on Exchange – “That was always one of the records I used to cut up with The Wild Bunch, so I had the label blacked out ‘cos I didn’t want biters to know what it was. We had to do a bit of research to see who the publisher was. Both the writers are dead now but the wife of one of them said we couldn’t use it. Luckily I’d sampled a bit that Isaac Hayes had written into the outro.” [Mojo Magazine - July 1998]

Lyrics

Horace Andy appears on (Exchange) only. Likewise the lyrics below only apply to (Exchange), the final track of Mezzanine.

Yeah yeah yeah ah. You see a man’s face. But you don’t see his heart. You see a man’s face. But you will never know his thoughts. Everywhere you go. There’s a man to say love. Never neither never neither. Take it to heart. For your heart is your heart. And your thoughts is your thoughts. Never mix love with hatred. You see a man’s face. You will never see his heart. You see a man’s face. But you will never know his thoughts. You see a man’s face. You will never know his thoughts. You see a man’s face…

External Links

Barcelona 1998 Live Performance
Amsterdam 1999 Live Performance (Starts At 53:05)

Watch this video on YouTube.

Promo image used on MassiveAttack.com back in 2000 to promote the relase of Nature of Threat. Download MP3.

Development

Nature Of Threat was the only fully finished song from the Ridge Farm/Lupine Howl sessions, that was recorded earlier in 2000, that was ever made public. While it is debatable rather or not, any of this seemingly abandoned material ever crept into later Massive Attack work (such as they two soundtrack projects, Danny The Dog and Bullet Boy respectively), this song certainly gives us an indication of the direction they were going in, in their immediate post-Mezzanine period.

The version of Nature Of Threat that was released, was at one point a possible contender for Massive Attack’s fourth album (either that or a possible film project that never happened), before 3D realised in early 2001, that the Ridge Farm/Lupine Howl sessions as a whole would not work as the foundation for the fourth album and had to be largely scrapped. Even if Nature Of Threat, had somehow made it’s way onto the fourth album, it would have sounded different to this version, as 3D stated that this version was still only a sketch that needed further mixing and refinement.

A photo still from the VirtueTV interview that was webcasted the same week as Nature Of Threat’s online release.Watch on YouTube.

Additional Info

Nature Of Threat was released as a internet only single, downloadable direct from the official website, making it the first Massive Attack to be distributed in this manner. As of the present, it is unavailable from Massiveattack.com, but has been archived here to download in its original MP3 format.

Nature Of Threat was released roughly a week before Massive Attack’s first and still only ever live internet webchat broadcast on the VirtueTV website, probably as a means to further promote the webchat.

Variations/Remixes

Marc Quinn Remix – This is an extremely rare version of Nature Of Threat (which has no official remix name) that very few have ever heard. Apparently it was played as the background soundtrack to a documentary about the artist/sculptor Marc Quinn, that was only broadcast on the UK arts programme “The South Bank Show” once ever on 17th December 2000 and never repeated.

Notable Quotes

3D on Nature Of Threat – “We wrote this for a movie last year but we’re now adapting it for the artist, Marc Quinn. It’s not intended to be an LP track at the moment, it’s more of a sketch” [NME Magazine - November 2000]

Promo Video

This was an online promo video only released via the official Massive Attack website in conjunction with the digital download release of the video’s accompanying song. Perhaps because of the limited bandwidth available to internet user’s at this time (2000), the promo video for Nature Of Threat was cut considerably compared to the full-length song.

The video is composed of handheld camera footage filmed mostly by 3D while on tour around the world during the exhausting 1998-1999 tour, which was then edited together by 3D’s art design collegue Tom Hingston.

Lyrics

It’s coming with a smile. It’s careful preparations. It’s coming coming with a smile. But watching it years ago. I wanted to take my time. And you can hear me coming. Rub your hands together. (x8) Your chance is coming up. (x11) It’s coming with a smile. It’s careful preparations. It’s coming with a smile. But watching it years ago. I wanted to take my time you. And you can hear me coming. And you can hear me coming. Rub your hands together. (x12)

External Links

MP3 Download Of Nature Of Threat
Promo Video
VirtueTV Interview (Part 1)

Watch this video on YouTube.

One of the promo images for 100th Window used to represent Everywhen. The photo was taken by Nick Thornton Jones & Warren du Preez.

Development

Horace Andy recorded his vocals for Everywhen during March 2002. 3D was also determined to write a track for Horace Andy completely without the use of samples or relying on cover versions as they had done on many previous Horace Andy sung songs. This ethos fitted in nicely with 100th Window‘s “no sample” approach. There was also an intentional desire to make Horace Andy’s vocals on this track and Name Taken not sound anything like what he sounded like normally in the past, in an attempt to move away from any hints of reggae on the album whatsoever.

Additional Info

This song along with Name Taken were the first Horace Andy sung tracks to be written entirely from scratch and not be cover versions of previous Horace Andy solo material or contain any samples since Hymn Of The Big Wheel on Blue Lines.

There is no guitar used at all on Everywhen. What many think is guitar is in fact drum effects put through multiple filtering processes.

Live Appearances

Everywhen was first played live at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on the 11th March 2003. It continued to be played throughout the duration of the entire 2003 tour except at festival dates. Its arrangement on this tour differed from the album version with the use of more live guitar samples and a more bombastic finale. It has not been played since the 2003 tour.

The embed below is Everywhen as it was performed on the 3rd May 2003 at Berlin’s Tempodrom. Click here to download the entire setlist from this show.

Horace Andy perfoming Everywhen during the 100th Window tour.

Variations/Remixes

Incantations – This alternative version of Everywhen, is more than likely a product of the 100th Window facsimile (also known as Version Point Five) project which 3D spoke of during the time around 100th Window’s release, which would have been the 100th Window songs represented as more simplified stripped back versions of the songs with arrangements taken from 2003 tour. This project failed to ever be fully completed and was never released however, evidently the new version of Everywhen (and also Small Time Shot Away) intended for this project were completed and released on Collected.

This song is also notable as according to the Collected inner sleeve notes, Daddy G apparently contributed to writing this remix, which if true would be his first actual involvement in the creation process since I Against I in 2002.

Notable Quotes

3D on the meaning behind Everywhen – “It’s the idea of a suspended beautiful moment, you know, a love song when you just crystallize that love for someone; just that moment that seems to be held, very pretty and pretentious at the same time” [The Raft – February 2003]

3D on the recording of Everywhen – “The drums on Everywhen, that was just a kick, rim shot and a hi-hat but put through various delays, Doppler effects and GRM pole filters that basically created a melodic backbone for the track. A lot of people think it’s guitar noises but there’s not a single guitar sound on that track” [Sound On Sound Magazine – April 2003]

Lyrics

My love. Your light. Incantations. Struck stars. Like tears fall. The sequence ends. Downtime. Godspeed. Everywhen. We concede. The sequence ends. And begins. Everything… You think you know. Everything… You think you know. You think you know. Blood ties. Blood ties. The sequence ends

External Links

Athens 2003 Live Performance
Clip From The Episode “Simple Man” Of The TV Series “CSI: Miami” Featuring Everywhen On The Soundtrack
Interview Clip With 3D From The Raft Website in 2003

Watch this video on YouTube.

Group Four performed live with Dot Allison filling in for Elizabeth Fraser’s vocals on the 2003 tour.

Development

Group Four was certainly a 3D inspired song which was mostly written, with Elizabeth Fraser as his writing partner and Angelo Bruschini providing support, at a recording studio in Cornwall, UK which was well away from the other band members who remained in Bristol.

This arrangement allowed the Massive Attack trio to work on their own individual material down in Cornwall without undue interruption and interference from any others, with different bandmembers each going down to Cornwall on their own at a time. 3D, taking charge of Group Four, oversaw not one but two Fraser vocals, sung weeks apart – the earlier one recorded in Bristol, the later one recorded there in Cornwall, and had Neil Davidge stitch an epic, near-Zeppelin finale onto the original frame.

Logo for the UK security firm “Group 4″. The lyrics of Group Four are about a nightwatchman on patrol and the name of the song was most likely taken from this security firm.

Additional Info

Speculating on why Group Four is called as such, the name could well have a double meaning. Group Four is the name of a security firm in the UK. Considering that 3D has stated that the meaning behind Group Four is of a nightwatchman on duty, then this connection makes some sense. Also Group Four might be a play on words of the the 1970′s post-punk band “Gang Of Four”, a band that many would say inspire alot of the material on Mezzanine.

Live Appearances

Group Four was first played live during the Mezzanine tour. For the majority of dates on the 1998/1999 tour, Elizabeth Fraser was not available due to the fact that she was pregnant at the time. She did however put in a memorable appearance at the Royal Albert Hall gig in June 1998. Her vocals on Group Four for this tour, were done instead by Debbie Miller.

On the 2003 tour, Liz Fraser was still not present, but now her vocals were substituted with Dot Allison’s. The continuation of the tour in 2004, completely omitted Group Four from the setlist, replacing it with the Redux version of Future Proof as each show’s finale. For the 2006 tour, not only would Group Four return, but so would Elizabeth Fraser who would be performing live and singing her vocals for not only Group Four but the other Liz Fraser tracks on Mezzanine, and proceeded to do the whole tour with Massive Attack. Once again (like in 2004), on the 2008 tour, Group Four was dropped to make way for the various new songs that would enter the setlist that year.

Every show that Group Four is apart of the setlist, it is always the last song played as a showstopper finale event. For this the original eight minute length is stretched to 12/13 minutes length, with the extra time devoted to a driving guitar riff which keeps increasing in intensity and loudness until the climax.

Notable Quotes

3D on writing Group Four along with Elizabeth Fraser – “Your the complete master of your own domain, were the only thing you have to watch is the clock. And when Elizabeth started writing stuff, she was coming from a slightly different angle, but as uniquely as personal, and I think the idea of putting all the parts together is quite a confusing picture, but still quite operatic as well” [Mezzanine Interview Disc - March 1998]

3D on the meaning and recording process behind Group Four – “It’s the offer of being a nightwatchman and the idea of not having to deal with anyone else, with your only concern being your shifts or whatever. When we wrote it, Liz would come up with one thing, then I’d do another bit, then she would come back again with something else. It’s a very unorthodox way of writing” [Vox Magazine - May 1998]

Variations/Remixes

Mad Professor Remix – A soothing ambient dub mix with a suitable dark edge by habitual Massive Attack remixer, Mad Professor. Included originally on the Angel single release but in a truncated edited form which shaved off what should have been the last three minutes of the remix. Thankfully, these lost three minutes were restored when this remix was included as part of the Singles 90/98 boxset.

Lyrics

A flask I drink of sober tea. While relay cameras monitor me. And the buzz surrounds it does. Buzz surrounds… Buzz surrounds…

Closed eyed sky wide open. Unlimited girl unlimited sigh. Elsewhere. Indefinitely. Far away. Magnifies and deepens. Ready to sing. My sixth sense peacefully placed on my breath. And listening.

Keeps me from my hurt.

My ears know that my eyes are closed.

Perish thoughs like contraband. I train myself in martial arts. As advertised. I reinforce my softened parts. As advertised.

See through me little glazed lane. A world in myself. Ready to sing. My sixth sense peacefully placed on my breath.

Flickering I roam.

And listening. My ears know that my eyes are closed. Ready to sing. My sixth sense peacefully placed on my breath.

Flickering I roam.

And listening. My ears know that my eyes are closed.

I see to bolts. Put keys to locks. No boat are rocked. I’m free to roam. On dummy screens. And magazines.

Closed eyed sky wide open. Unlimited girl unlimited sigh.

To think that I lay next to you. Wasting time when I could do. A simple job in strip lights. A flask I drink a sober tea. ‘Till daylight sends me home. Flickering I roam.

Daydreaming admiring being. Quietly, open the world. I hear the time of the starry sky. Turning over at midnight. Seen through me little glazed lane. A world in myself. Daydreaming admiring being. Quietly, open the world. I hear the time of the starry sky. Turning over at midnight.

External Links

Interpretations From SongMeanings.com
Pinkpop Festival 2003 Live Performance
Barcelona 1998 Live Performance
San Diego 2006 Live Performance

Watch this video on YouTube.

Front cover of a rare European promo CD for Man Next Door.

Development

More than likely, Man Next Door is a product mostly of Daddy G’s desire to do a reggae cover. The reggae cover ended up being Jamaican reggae singer’s John Holt’s I’ve Got To Get Away which had originally been recorded in the 1960′s. This song had already previously been covered by the 1970′s post-punk band The Slits (under the new name of Man Next Door), who had already turned the original upbeat reggae number into a more down tempo moody tune, which probably inspired Massive Attack, in their own take of the song, moreso than the original John Holt version.

Additional Info

In September 2000, the UK Conservative Party used a snippet of Man Next Door as background music to accompany the entrance of the then party leader William Hague. When Massive Attack were alerted of the use of their own song, which the Conservative party had not asked permission to use, Massive Attack became very indignant not so much with the unauthorised use of their song but on political grounds, as the Conservative party were using it to promote their right wing policies which Massive Attack were not supporters of. Massive Attack threatened legal action against the Conservative party.

Massive Attack sought legal action against the Conservative party in September 2000, after the unauthorized usage of Man Next Door at a Tory party conference.

It is uncertain exactly what happened afterwards, but it appears that no legal action against the Conservative party ever actually took place.

Live Appearances

Man Next Door along with a sampling of a few other Mezzanine-bound tracks were first played during the 1997 tour partly to gauge crowd reactions to these newly demoed songs. It was a constant feature of both the 1997 tour and the 1998/1999 tours. During the 2003 and 2004 tours it was omitted entirely. Man Next Door would make its live appearance after a nearly eight year gap during the North American leg of the 2006 tour.

It’s live arrangement is typically the same as the regular album version with Horace Andy performing live vocals.

Variations/Remixes

Euro Radio Edit – A truncated version of the song for radio playback for European radio stations. It trims off much of the beginning and end of the song. It might possibly have been used to gauge interest of a commercial single release of Man Next Door. Included only on a rare promo CD of Man Next Door.

Jamaican reggae singer John Holt, whose original “I’ve Got To Get Away” was the basis for Massive Attack’s cover of the song. Visit his Wikipedia entry.

Sampled From

Man Next Door uses a sample from the song “10.15 Saturday Night” by The Cure. It appears primarily on their 1986 release “Staring At the Sea”. It is credited officially by Massive Attack.

Apart from this aforementioned sample, Man Next Door also uses a sample from the song “When The Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin. It appears primarily on their 1971 release “Led Zeppelin 4″. It is not credited officially by Massive Attack.

Notable Quotes

Horace Andy on the previously recorded versions of Man Next Door – “The band only knew the Dennis Brown version. I’m singing them the John Holt version” [Mojo Magazine – July 1998]

3D on the unauthorised use of Man Next Door during a Conservative Party conference – “We’re completely fucked off with The Tories. How dare they use us to promote their bullshit” [Q Magazine - October 2000]

Lyrics

There is a man that live next door. In my neighborhood. In my neighborhood. And he gets me down. He gets in so late at night. Always a fuss and fight. Always a fuss and fight. All through the night… I’ve got to get away from here. This is not a place for me to stay. I’ve got to take my family. And find a quiet place. Hear the pots and pans they fall. Bang against my wall. Bang against my wall. No rest at all… He gets in so late at night. Always a fuss and fight. Always a fuss and fight. All through the night… I’ve got to get away from here. This is not a place for me to stay. I’ve got to take my family. And find a quiet place. There is a man that live next door. In my neighborhood. In my neighborhood. And he gets me down. He gets in so late at night. Always a fuss and fight. Always a fuss and fight. All through the night… Gotta get away from here. Oh I. Oh my my my

External Links

Interpretations From SongMeanings.com
Guardian News Story About Massive Attack’s Disdain At The UK Conservative Party Using Man Next Door At One Of Their Conferences
Belgium 1998 Live Performance
Amsterdam 1998 Live Performance
Horace Andy Solo Performance From London’s Jazz Cafe In 2008

Watch this video on YouTube.

4/5′s of the Five Man Army. Replace Tony Bryan on the far right with Wiily Wee.

Development

Five Man Army more than any other Massive Attack recalls the heydays of The Wild Bunch with lyrics referencing The Wild Bunch’s live stint in Japan, turntable’s and mixer boards, house parties, not to mention Willy Wee who had been at Daddy G’s side throughout much of The Wild Bunch’s lifetime.

Five Man Army, itself was based around a similar song also called Five Man Army by Dillinger and Trinity. This was Daddy G’s doing most likely as this song, with it’s deep dub basslines is mostly indebted to his particular love of dub and reggae.

Additional Info

The vocalist of the first verse of Five Man Army is very commonly confused as being Daddy G. In fact, it is fellow Wild Bunch hanger-on Willy Wee, who has a very comparable deep voice like Daddy G.

The majority of Horace Andy’s lyrics which appear towards the end of Five Man Army were lifted from his own back catalogue of reggae anthems, namely “Cuss, Cuss” and “Money Money”.

On Collected, the song’s duration is only 05:21. This is because at the 03:58 time duration mark into the song, there is a seamless edit which cuts out roughly the next 40 seconds of the song.

Live Appearances

Five Man Army was played extensively throughout the 1994 soundsystem tour. On this tour, with Tricky and Willy Wee being available on most dates, they were able to provide their vocals as they are on the album version.

For the 1995 tour, with Tricky falling out with Massive Attack, it was Daddy G who had had to provide the vocals for both of Massive Attack’s lost touring party member on Five Man Army alongside 3D, Horace Andy and Willy Wee. The song itself was arranged and played in a similar fashion to way it appeared on Blue Lines.

Since the 1995 tour however, Five Man Army has failed to make any of the live setlists, probably owing to the fact of Willy Wee’s removal from the touring setup at this time.

Rare 12″ single from reggae production duo, Lewin Bones Lock, which Massive Attack sampled heavily on when making Five Man Army.

Sampled From

Five Man Army uses a sample from the song “I’m Glad You’re Mine” by noted American soul and gospel performer Al Green. It appears primarily on his 1972 release I’m Still In Love With You. It is not credited officially by Massive Attack.

Five Man Army uses a sample from the song “Five Man Army Dub” by a reaggae production duo known as Lewin Bones Lock. It appears primarily on a 1970′s Studio One 12″ single release. It has never been released on any other format since. It is not credited officially by Massive Attack.

Notable Quotes

3D on why he mentions his Sony Walkman Budokan in the lyrics for Five Man Army – “Every rap track has a reference to Sony, yeah! It’s not a plug for them though, it’s just that Sony and their Walkman’s are such a massive influence and the Sony Budokan is the ultimate portable sound experience, extra bass and a really huge sound. They even give you a cushion to sit on while you listen to it. It’s a totally obsessive object and if you have something that you’re really into, you constantly think about it, so when I think about words and music I constantly think of my Budokan, it’s that simple. I also think about Subbuteo…” [Jocks Magazine - February 1991]

Willy Wee’s vocals on Five Man army are regularly confused with those of Daddy G.

Lyrics

External Links

Interpretations From SongMeanings.com
Fan-made Lyrics Video

Watch this video on YouTube.

Mumia Abu-Jamal, the subject matter of both the documentary film “In Prision My Whole Life” and of the 100 Suns/Snoop Dogg track “Calling Mumia”.

Development

News first hit of this unusual collaboration between Massive Attack and American hip-hop star, Snoop Dogg, back in May 2007. The genesis of the song was from both artists being musically apart of the documentary film, ‘In Prison My Whole Life’.

In Massive Attack’s case, they had been commissioned (under the guise of 100 Suns, a name they have been using to disassociate certain film/advertising projects and collaborations like this one away from the Massive Attack name/brand) to pen the instrumental score for the film, while Snoop Dogg had already produced a song named after the film. From there, under the suggestion of the filmmakers, Snoop Dogg sent Massive Attack his vocals for Calling Mumia allowing them to get to work on composing the backing music track for the song.

The film itself, is a look at the life of imprisoned political activist and former Black Panther member, Mumia Abu-Jamal, who received a death sentence in 1982 for the supposed killing of a Philadelphia policeman. Many people to this day believe Mumia to be innocent of this crime, including a young London man named William Francome (who also just so happened to be born on the same day of the killing – hence the film’s title) makes it his mission in the film to piece together what happened on the night of the killing and also look at, in general the state of the prison and justice system in the USA.

Additional Info

Even though Calling Mumia was produced and finished in early 2007, it would’nt be until October 2008, when the official Massive Attack website made available a digital stream of the song, did the majority of fans get to hear it, as the film ‘In Prison My Whole Life’ was only shown in a limited fashion at film festivals across the world in the preceding year.

The film was even screened at Massive Attack’s own Meltdown festival in London on 19th June 2008. It is also through Massive Attack’s involvement in the film that they became aware of the Reprieve organization and their ongoing fight for improvement of prisoner and detainees rights around the world. This involvement with Reprieve, together with understanding the newfound plight of prisoners such as Mumia Abu-Jamal, influenced the subsequent 2008 tour, with many of the statistics on the accompanying LED screen behind the band displaying such facts concerning rendition flights, detention without charge and surveillance societies we live in today.

Interestingly, another well-known rapper, Mos Def, also appears in the film ‘In Prison My Whole Life’ and contributed a new song (Dollar Bill) to the film’s soundtrack. Massive Attack fans should be aware of the previous and highly successful 2002 collaboration, I Against I, Massive Attack undertook with Mos Def, which in many ways was similar to the making of Calling Mumia, i.e. a collaboration with an American rapper for a film project with no direct contact between the two parties.

Poster for documentary film “In Prision My While Life”. Visit the official website for the film.

Sampled From

The soft opening piano notes heard in the first few seconds was sampled from Massive Attack’s own 2005 recording sessions with Terry Callier, in a unused outtake from said sessions. You can hear this unused piano outtake at 13:45 into this Soundcloud stream.

Notable Quotes

Extract concerning Massive Attack’s involvement in the score for ‘In Prison My Whole Life’ – “MA have been creating original, current and groundbreaking music since the late 80′s. Always breaking new ground while sounding fresh, they have changed the British musical landscape forever. As well as their music, they have been politically active and supported many worthwhile causes so when they agreed to do the score for ‘In Prison..’ we were over the moon.”[Official 'In Prison My Whole Life' website - March 2008]

William Francome on his appreciation for Massive Attack and their involvement in his documentary – “When I think back to growing up in North London before I moved to the states, the soundtrack was par for the course at that time with bands like the Prodigy, Massive Attack and Tricky blaring out of my older sisters stereo. Having an older sister and also the fact that one of the rooms in my dad’s house was rented out to Jonny L (of ‘Hurt you so’ fame and later of the Truesteppers- Remember Victoria Beckam?) meant that I was exposed to music that others my age perhaps weren’t. Massive Attack then maintained their position as huge part of the British music scene, evolving as our tastes did. So when we were working on the film and our music coordinator Liz Gallagher mentioned it might be something that Neil Davidge and Robert Del Naja from the band might be interested, we jumped at the chance. Now it’s done, they’ve created a great score and the film is much better for it. I’d just like to thank them for the great work they’ve done. “['In Prison My Whole Life' MySpace Blog - October 2007]

Lyrics

Snoop Dogg, a somewhat unlikely Massive Attack vocalist. Hence maybe why this track was put out under the name of “100 Suns”.

Just want to come up to pull me down. I just got my feet on solid ground. Disconnect the plug. No more sound. I can’t be heard or seen. Now what does it mean. No conclusion. Open your eyes. See, ’cause the revolution will be televised. I gained support. I came to court. Cursed the judge. Did’nt even budge. Did’nt even look at me. Shrugged and shooked at him. He gave me life and threw the book at me. It’s sad ’cause a man lost his life. Families crying. Witnesses lying. Played by the P.A Made by the D.A And it’s in the game just like E.A You’ve gotta have fun when your in the pen. With the game over, ain’t no motherfucker starting again (Locked away) (Nowhere to turn) (Put that shit down)(You live like we live) (Back against the wall) What up man! (repeat and fade) You just might lock up. Maybe shut the fuck up. Before you get stuck up. The way you feel. That’s the way I feel. The will to deal. Mean the will is. What up man! (repeat and fade) Kill or be killed. Dead man talking. Dead man walking. The will to will. That will is the way I used to live. And the way I live now is to educate and elevate the kids. And give them more than weed and bottles of beer. And show them how to live like this here! Yeah, got alot to say. ‘Cause it ain’t no fun when your locked away. You’ve gotta pay me, stay wagey, stay free. Flexible. Seems like I’m going through obstacles. None to heavy. None to deep. Pined to the back. Wrapped up the leaf. Ben’s in the jack. Just traded them in. Just sent all of the money to the homie in the pen. Yeah I’ve got a what up man. To my homie, Jamal. What up man! Any wonder why we say. “Fuck The Police!” What up man! (Locked away) Wrongfully accused. (Nowhere to turn) I’m locked away with nowhere to turn. (Back against the wall) My back against the motherfuckin‘ wall. (Locked away) Yeah, but I’m still speaking the truth. (Nowhere to turn) (Back against the wall) Can’t stop me. My words gonna live on, man. You can kill the body but you can never kill the spirit. My back against the wall. Nowhere to turn. That’s whats up, nigger! That’s whats up! What up man! (Locked away) What up man! (Nowhere to turn) Nah nigger, what up! Nah, what up! (Back against the wall) Yeah, what up man! (Locked Away) (Nowhere to turn) Man! (Back against the wall) Y’all (Locked away) (Nowhere to turn) What up man! (Back against the wall) We go. (Locked away) (Nowhere to turn) (Back against the wall)

External Links

Wikipedia Entry For Mumia Abu-Jamal
Official Site For The Film “In Prison My Whole Life”
Promo Video For The song Featuring Clips From “In Prision My Whole Life” Posted On Neil Davidge‘s YouTube Channel
Trailer For “In Prision My Whole Life”
Interview Segment From “In Prision My Whole Life” Featuring Snopp Dogg

Watch this video on YouTube.

3D and Daddy G performing vocals on Mezzanine during the 2006 Collected tour.

Development

The title track from the album Mezzanine, went through many changes (roughly about five different variations that differed majorly from each other, none of which have ever been heard) throughout the production and mixing stages of the album. Gradually, Massive Attack became frustrated with the song during the mixing process and settled on the way it sounds now, not ultimately been satisfied with it but being forced to stop working on it. This also makes it probably the last song to be completed for the Mezzanine album.

Additional Info

Mezzanine, the song, was responsible for lending it’s name to the album, Mezzanine and not the other way around. Typically, Massive Attack have always left the naming of all their albums to the very end. 3D decided to name the album after the song because of the no man’s land or twilight zone or even a floor between floors (as the lyrics in the chorus would seem to suggest) the song embodies, which were the same qualities that the album, Mezzanine embodied as a whole come it’s completion time.

When Mezzanine was performed live on the 2003 100th Window tour, the LED screen behind Massive Attack displayed the names of various computer viruses.

Live Appearances

Mezzanine was first played live in its finished form during the 1998 Mezzanine tour. Since then, it has become a near permanent fixture to the live setlist in all subsequent tours. It’s live arrangement is typically the same as the regular album version with both 3D and Daddy G (except for when Daddy G was absent for some of the North American 2006 tour) performing live vocals.

Notable Quotes

3D on both the naming and recording process behind Mezzanine – “The track we called Mezzanine [was named] quite a long time ago but it changed shape quite alot over the last six months. In fact, we completely reinvented it about five times, out of frustration” [Mezzanine Interview Disc - March 1998]

3D on the meaning behind Mezzanine – “Slightly confusing when you feel like you’re in two places at once, one is an altogether more exotic place and the other is the reality where you struggle to find a grip” [Vox Magazine - May 1998]

Variations/Remixes

There is a distinct possibilty that the opening intro song of the 1997 tour was one of the earlier versions of Mezzanine, as indeed it contained a few lyrical lines (“Give me evenings, Give me weekends”) that would eventually make their way onto the finalised Mezzanine track, even though it also seems to contain some resemblance musically to Angel.

The embed below contains the only recording (from the Berlin Arena 1997) currently of this early version of Mezzanine that was played at some of the 1997 live shows.

Lyrics

I’m a little curious of you in crowded scenes. And how serene your friends and fiends. We flew and strolled as two eliminated gently. Why don’t you close your eyes and reinvent me.

You know you’ve got that heart made of stone. You should have let me know. You could have let me know.

We’ll go ’till morning comes. And traffic grows. And windows hum.

Spending all week with your friends. Give me evenings and weekends. Evenings and weekends

I could be yours. We can unwind. All these half floors. All these half floors. You’d agree it’s a typical high. You fly as you watch your name go by. And once the name goes by. Not thicker than water nor thicker than mud. And the eight k thuds it does. Sunset so thickly. Let’s make it quiet and quickly. Don’t frown. It taste’s better on the way back down. I could be yours. We can unwind. All these half floors. (x3) Will lead to mine. We are we are… (sting me now) We can unwind. All these half floors. All these half floors. Will lead to mine. Will see to. All these half floors. All these half floors. Will see to. All these half floors. Will lead to mine. We can unwind all our flaws. We can unwind all our flaws.

External Links

Interpretations From SongMeanings.com
Jools Holland Show 1998 Live Performance
MTV Europe 1998 Live Performance
Southside Festival 1999 Live Performance
Summersonic Festival 2006 Live Performance
Abbey Road 2006 Live Performance

Watch this video on YouTube.

Front cover of the Welcome To Sarajevo soundtrack which featured Wire as an instrumental version titled “End Titles”.

Development

The director of film Welcome To Sarajevo, Michael Winterbottom specially commissioned Massive Attack to contribute to the soundtrack to the film while he was lensing the picture back in 1996.

Additional Info

Wire is an elusive and much sought after track to many Massive Attack fans. No one definite version of the song exists, however the live version is probably the closest to the final version desired by many fans.

One of three songs recorded with vocalist Sara Jay, the other two being Dissolved Girl and an unknown, unreleased song.

This is also one of only five songs to have a Craig Armstrong involvement, the others being Weather Storm, Sly, Heat Miser and Nature Boy.

Sara Jay performing Wire live on the 1997 tour.

Live Appearances

Wire along with a sampling of a few Mezzanine-bound tracks were first played during the 1997 tour partly to gauge crowd reactions to these newly demoed songs. It was usually the penultimate or even final track played on many shows. Sara Jay herself provided vocals for the track on this tour along with an early demo version of Dissolved Girl. Debbie Miller usually accompanied her on stage doing backing vocals for the song. Sara Jay along with Wire have never appeared on a subsequent tour since 1997.

Variations/Remixes

Vocal Edit – This is the only studio produced version available featuring Sara Jay’s vocals. Only appears during the end credits sequence of the film Welcome to Sarajevo. It frustratingly, fades out roughly around the midpoint of the song as the end credits also fade to black.

End Titles – An instrumental version of the track without Sara Jays vocals. Apart from this fact, the track is also mixed and arranged differently to the vocal edit version. Appears only on the soundtrack album to the film “Welcome To Sarajevo”.

Wire, the post-punk 1970′s band were sampled by Massive Attack on Wire, also lending their name to the Massive Attack track. Visit their official site.

Sampled From

Seminal post-punk rockers Wire’s song “Former Airline” was sampled for Wire. It would be speculative to say that the Massive Attack song Wire, gets its namesake from the very band they sampled from. It appears primarily on Wire’s reissue’s of their 1978 release Chairs Missing. It is not credited officially by Massive Attack.

Lyrics

Is it close? Maybe close enough to touch? It’s what you wanted for so long. And soon we’ll all be here. It is still. And it’s enough that you don’t know. When all you needed was to care. And late is never again. Are you thoughtful? Are you simple? Are you beautiful? What will you do when it all falls down What will you do when it all falls down. Let it all fall down (all fall down) Let it all fall down (all fall down) So love if love. Is all that you believe. It’s all about. To love if love. Is all that you believe. To love it learn. Is all about. Is all that you believe. It comes around. To where it all began. And it’s all down to the victor. Is all you believe. And it comes around. To where it all began. And it’s all down to the victor. Is all that you believe

External Links

Wikipedia Entry For The Film “Welcome To Sarajevo”
Berlin Arena 1997 Live Performance

Watch this video on YouTube.